The Memphis Monologues is a uniquely Memphis evening benefiting Planned Parenthood Greater Memphis Region. We’ve taken the concept behind Eve Ensler’s remarkable play, The Vagina Monologues, and reimagined it for Memphis: Memphis women will tell real, personal stories. Some will be funny, some uplifting, some sad, some eye-opening. Join us for a drink, a nosh and an evening that will celebrate the female experience, the human experience, and the wonderful women who call Memphis home.

The cocktail evening will feature a silent auction, sweets, wine and beer, but hurry, seats fill fast and when they are gone, they’re gone !

In the past, performers have shared a gut wrenching story of surviving child abuse, a hilarious account of trying to use “green” menstrual pads and what it’s like being a boss in an office full of men. I first performed in the Memphis Monologues a few years ago. It was the first time I shared publicly that I had an abortion when I was 15-years-old.

My doctor was George Tiller.

He was shot to death inside his church in 2009.

This year my monologue will focus on Dr. Tiller and the other abortion providers who have been murdered by men who claim to value life.

This year’s performer will also include:

Aisling Cordon Maki

Krista Pennie Myers

Elizabeth Hart

Evie Perry

Stephanie Mei Hom

Elle Perry

Elokin Capece

Please RSVP to secure your ticket today. Everyone is invited to the Memphis Monologues to hear my and other personal stories, have a drink, enjoy some food and give to an organization that supports women.

The Memphis Monologues Thursday February 11 at 7pm Amurica Studios on Cleveland

The Bicycle Ambassadors Project is new for Revolutions Bicycle Cooperative. But teaching kids to ride a bicycle for transportation, is not. For the last seven years, Revolutions worked with several community partners to donate refurbished bicycles to kids, at Christmas. This donation program included a bicycle safety workshop and training on the rules and skills of riding in the street. Unfortunately, we heard over and over that as soon as the Christmas bikes got a flat tire, the children stopped riding. Even though Revolutions established relationships with the kids who received our bicycles during our training workshops, this was not enough to allow them to find us, when their bicycles needed repair.

Hence, the revamped Bicycle Ambassadors project. Now, we will work with a group of 16 children over an entire semester. This program is structured as an afterschool club, in order to give us lots of time to talk and ride together. We will donate bicycles, locks and helmets and teach any kids who don’t already know how, to ride. The Ambassadors will learn the basics of keeping their bicycles in good working order, as well as how to properly wear a helmet, lock up a bike and navigate the streets of Memphis. After the group is comfortable riding in the neighborhood, we will turn our focus to transportation. How could an Ambassador ride to school? What is the best route from his or her house? How long would it take to complete the ride and lock up the bike, so that the Ambassador can arrive to class, on time. And, who are the other kids who live close to this Ambassador, who might also like to try riding to school?

Over the last couple of months, members of Revolutions Bicycle Cooperative overhauled and refurbished bicycles for the Ambassadors to ride. Fixing up bicycles for kids is always a popular activity, around Revolutions. This work is also helpful for us, because it gives our newer members a good way to start learning how to work on bicycles.

Now, we are looking towards the programming for Bicycle Ambassadors. We plan to meet 8 to 10 times between the end of February and the middle of May. Most of our meetings will be for the after-school club rides. Revolutions will also partner with the Bicycle Ambassadors to host a Bike Rodeo, open to the whole community. Bike Rodeos are a chance for riders to practice things like stopping and signaling at an intersection, riding in a straight, predictable path, even at very slow speeds and controlling the bike, even when other riders are close by. And to celebrate Bike Month, in May, we will work with the Ambassadors to coordinate Bike Trains to school. These are like Walking School Buses, but with bikes! We hope to get lots of families and Peabody staff riding with us!

This semester, the Revolutions Bicycle Ambassadors at Peabody Elementary will serve as a pilot program. We have dreams of doing this in more schools, with more children. We believe that bicycles provide an excellent transportation choice that children can continue to use on into adulthood. Why not use a bicycle to get to middle school and high school, as well as jobs, the grocery store, the library and the park?!Continue Reading …

Memphis, TN. I am a born and raised product of this city. It is in this city that I learned to be me. I am passionate about this city in a way I don’t know that many people relate, or understand. There are so many things about this city that are great: Our resilience, our music, our southern hospitality… it is clear in everything from our southern drawl to the authentic-ness of our food. We grit and grind here. We are a city of overcomers, and of that I am proud.

Our city is currently on the cusp, we are at a defining point in our history. We, as a city, have to decide if we are going to continue to “grit and grind” or if we are going to take the necessary steps to lift our city out of poverty. We survive here against all odds, but it’s time we do more than survive. The poverty rate in Memphis sits at 29.8% and the childhood poverty rate is 46.9% . The majority of poverty is experienced by minorities. African-American/Black people represent just over 35% and Latinos are at 45%. In a city that where African American/Blacks hold the majority, this is a major issue.

We have to start looking at the true issues and what it will take to truly effect change. Our city will not ever reach its potential with so many barely making it. This affects not only crime, but our tax dollars and the growth of businesses into our city.

I don’t have all the answers, but one thing I do think we can do is offer resources that do what they claim to do. Memphis has a lot of “resource hubs” that aim to connect those in need with necessary resources. I think we might have more actual hubs than resources! Many of the “resources” offered for businesses and consumers are nothing more than pamphlets and classes that provide information but doesn’t really leave the user with any additional skills or support afterwards. Where do business owners turn who need help learning the financial aspects of their business? Budgeting, forecasting, etc? Where do they turn to learn about true marketing, customer service and customer experience processes and follow-up?

Memphis is a great place. Of all the things we have to share with the world, our people are at the top of the list. It’s a wonderful collection of good people.

So, what do we need to do to make our city better?

As a longtime resident and business owner, I’m no expert, but it seems to me we’ve spent too long ignoring the young people of our fair city, those that are most at risk and are still learning and developing into who they will one day become. The city has given up control over the school system and the citizens seem to be okay with it. These days all of the headlines are about the city opting out of paying their share of retirees’ benefits. I’m still wondering what happened to the 90 million dollars donated by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation before the city decided to dissolve the entire school system. While the city and county fight over who is responsible for what, I fear too many good kids may be slipping through the cracks.

The good news is, we seem to be turning a corner in the amount of opportunities available to our city’s youth. There are lots of good programs which are in existence today like Cloud901, Big Brother/Big Sister, Adopt-a-School, etc but we need all the help we can get. Mayor Strickland recently appointed a new director to The Memphis Office of Youth Services. Ike Griffith, a TV broadcast instructor in Shelby County nearly the past two decades, is the new man in charge and his first big task is to roll out the 2016 MPLOY and Memphis Ambassadors Program. MAP runs year round, while MPLOY only runs for six weeks over the summer. It’s a work program for qualified students that allows them the opportunity to get real-world experience by being employed by local businesses. The deadline for students to apply has passed, but if you own a business you can apply to be a MPLOY YOUTH Business Partner.

These kids are eager to learn and still have an open mind about the world in which they live. These kids need a chance to learn in a way that is best for them. For some, it may be exactly what we offer in school. For others, it’s something else. They need something to be excited about. Motivated! Encouraged! Inspired! They need something more geared toward their particular personality. You could have a huge impact on a student that’s looking for a mentor.Continue Reading …

I love Memphis! If you have made it to the Make Memphis! blog then, chances are, you are a fan too. Despite my absolute love of our city, I see its faults. We have public transportation issues; completely run down areas of town; higher-than average crime. Many small businesses struggle day to day trying to compete with large corporate businesses. Much of Memphis and the surrounding suburbs seem very resistant to change. These issues manifest themselves in various ways that end up causing problems and create unrest with individuals, but what can an individual do? Many chalk it up to the sentiment “It’s just the way it is…”

Stop that apathetic sentiment. Right now. There is an easy solution that helps all of these problems.

Bike lanes. …and, like, actually using them.

Over the years, I have spent more than my share of time being without a vehicle. When I lived in Seattle or San Francisco, it was not an issue, in fact, it was more convenient to be without a vehicle. I moved back home to Memphis to be welcomed with the general feeling that if you do not have a car, you are S.O.L. or better have a friend that you can ride with…often.

Since Memphis is so spread out, walking takes forever. The bike options are getting better, but still not completely safe for fear of the typical ignorant motorist or the straight up road waste that can cause flats, which is a shame. One of the best ways to improve much of our community is to get out and go for a walk or, better yet, set out on two wheels.

The impacts of slowing down from the speeds of your car is immense. You actually see what is going on in your neighborhood. In your car, you get used to seeing the world around as a blur. When you walk to the store, the lines between housing and commercial real estate can be pretty gross; broken side walks, lots with litter strewn about, bad landscaping, boring buildings that need to be torn down or fixed up, or places that could use a big, colorful mural to brighten up a corner of your neighborhood.